PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-12500H

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600GT.

Ryzen 5 5600GT

2024

Why buy it

✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), unlike Core i5-12500H.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12500H across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (9,300 vs 9,900).
❌Launch MSRP is still $140 MSRP, while Core i5-12500H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-12500H moves to FCBGA1744 and DDR5.

Core i5-12500H

2022

Ryzen 5 5600GT

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), unlike Core i5-12500H.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600GT.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12500H across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (9,300 vs 9,900).
❌Launch MSRP is still $140 MSRP, while Core i5-12500H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-12500H moves to FCBGA1744 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12500H better than Ryzen 5 5600GT?

Yes. Core i5-12500H is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 12.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 6.5% better Geekbench multi-core, 0.7% higher PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-12500H is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 12.3% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12500H is the better fit. You are getting 6.5% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 16 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i5-12500H is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600GT makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i5-12500H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $140 MSRP, and it gives you a 12.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600GT is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (145.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-12500H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a healthier platform with FCBGA1744 and DDR5 instead of AM4 and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 16 threads instead of 6/12. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i5-12500H Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600GT Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12500H	Ryzen 5 5600GT
1080p
low	169 FPS	178 FPS
medium	153 FPS	150 FPS
high	125 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	142 FPS	153 FPS
medium	122 FPS	125 FPS
high	99 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	80 FPS	83 FPS
medium	74 FPS	74 FPS
high	59 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	46 FPS

Open Core i5-12500H Open Ryzen 5 5600GT

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12500H	Ryzen 5 5600GT
1080p
low	512 FPS	360 FPS
medium	484 FPS	304 FPS
high	406 FPS	267 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	231 FPS
1440p
low	477 FPS	313 FPS
medium	421 FPS	271 FPS
high	361 FPS	245 FPS
ultra	316 FPS	208 FPS
4K
low	291 FPS	235 FPS
medium	259 FPS	207 FPS
high	243 FPS	192 FPS
ultra	216 FPS	161 FPS

Open Core i5-12500H Open Ryzen 5 5600GT

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12500H	Ryzen 5 5600GT
1080p
low	512 FPS	508 FPS
medium	512 FPS	508 FPS
high	477 FPS	502 FPS
ultra	420 FPS	418 FPS
1440p
low	512 FPS	499 FPS
medium	475 FPS	409 FPS
high	427 FPS	369 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	308 FPS
4K
low	449 FPS	343 FPS
medium	368 FPS	291 FPS
high	327 FPS	252 FPS
ultra	267 FPS	194 FPS

Open Core i5-12500H Open Ryzen 5 5600GT

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12500H	Ryzen 5 5600GT
1080p
low	512 FPS	508 FPS
medium	512 FPS	508 FPS
high	512 FPS	508 FPS
ultra	512 FPS	508 FPS
1440p
low	512 FPS	508 FPS
medium	512 FPS	508 FPS
high	512 FPS	508 FPS
ultra	492 FPS	492 FPS
4K
low	507 FPS	508 FPS
medium	463 FPS	459 FPS
high	414 FPS	407 FPS
ultra	361 FPS	352 FPS

Open Core i5-12500H Open Ryzen 5 5600GT

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12500H and Ryzen 5 5600GT

Core i5-12500H

The Core i5-12500H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-H (2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 20,462 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 5 5600GT

The Ryzen 5 5600GT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 20,312 points. Launch price was $140.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12500H packs 12 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600GT offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i5-12500H has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i5-12500H versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600GT — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600GT (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i5-12500H uses the Alder Lake-H (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600GT uses Cezanne (2021−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12500H scores 20,462 against the Ryzen 5 5600GT's 20,312 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i5-12500H. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,260 vs 2,000, a 12.2% lead for the Core i5-12500H that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 9,900 vs 9,300 (6.3% advantage for the Core i5-12500H). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12500H vs 16 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600GT.

Feature	Core i5-12500H	Ryzen 5 5600GT
Cores / Threads	12 / 16+100%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	4.6 GHz+2%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.6 GHz+44%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+13%	16 MB
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512 kB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-H (2022)	Cezanne (2021−2025)
PassMark	20,462	20,312
Geekbench 6 Single	2,260+13%	2,000
Geekbench 6 Multi	9,900+6%	9,300

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12500H uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600GT uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800 on the Core i5-12500H versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5600GT — the Core i5-12500H supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 5 5600GT supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12500H) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 5600GT) — the Ryzen 5 5600GT offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Adler Lake-H PCH (Core i5-12500H) and A520,B550,X570,B450,X470 (Ryzen 5 5600GT).

Feature	Core i5-12500H	Ryzen 5 5600GT
Socket	FCBGA1744	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	128 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 5600GT has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-12500H) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600GT). Both include integrated graphics — Intel Iris Xe Graphics 80EU (Core i5-12500H) and Radeon Vega 7 (Ryzen 5 5600GT) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12500H targets Performance Laptop, Ryzen 5 5600GT targets Budget Gaming/Desktop.

Feature	Core i5-12500H	Ryzen 5 5600GT
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel Iris Xe Graphics 80EU	Radeon Vega 7
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Performance Laptop	Budget Gaming/Desktop